Hopper car constructioh



W. E. WINE HOPPER CAR CONSTRUCTION Re. 17,807

3 Shoets-Sh0et" Original Filed Jan. 30. 1925 Qrvuentoc w. E. WINE IHOPPEil CAR CONSTRUCTION Re. 11,801 3 Sheets-Sheet" 2 Sept. 16; 1930.

Original Filed Jan. 50. 1926 ///1 6///Z/ w M 164. 6H0: new

w. E; WINE HOPPER CAR CONSTRUCTION Sept. 16-, 1930.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Jan. 50, 1926 Reissued Sept. 16, 1930UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. WINE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, .ASSIGNORTO WINE RAILWAY APPLIANCE GOM- PANY, F TOLEDO OHIO, A CORPORATION OFOHIO EOPPER- CARCONSTRUCTION Original 1T0. 1,705,147, dated March 12,1929, Serial No. 84,970, filed January 30, 1926. Application for reissuefiled Jul 26, 1930. Serial No. 471,047.

My invention relates to railway car hopper construction and moreparticularly to a hopper car door frame unit and the mode of combiningthe latter with the chute plate and sideplates of a hopper and with thedoor for closing the lading dischargeopening. The principal object ofthe invention l a seal therewith for preventing the escape of" is tostrengthen and simplify car hoppers andto provide structural means whichensure that the doors shall efiiciently and reliably function.

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing an inclinedhopper having downwardly convergin sides with a cargo discharge opening0 su 4 lar form, and in associating therewith a substantiallyrectangular hinged door for closing said opening.

A further feature of the invention consists in providin a car hopperdoor frame with a. lading discharge opening which 'is bounded byoutwardly projecting flanges, and in combining therewith a substantiallyrectangular hinged door having inwardly projecting flanges forcooperating'with the corresponding flanges of the frame to form ladingfrom the hopper.

Another feature of the invention involves a car hopper frame having adischarge opening and provided with outwardly projecting flangesadjacent the sides and loyver edges of said opening, and in combiningtherewith a hinged door having inwardly. projecting flanges forcooperating with the flangesof the frame, toform a seal with the latterfor'preventing the escape of lading from the hopper,- the flanges at thesides of the discharge opening being tapered so as gradually to increasein height toward the lower edge of the opening.

A still further feature of the invention consists in the provision of ahopper car door frame of substantially trapezoidal form hav-' ing arectangular discharge opening.

Other features of the invention, residing in advantageous combinationsof parts and details of construction, will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred stantially rectanguhopperembodying the invention.

Figure 2 a side elevational view of the construction shown in Fig. 1 aWell known form of door locking mechanism forretaining the door of thehopper in closed position being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the hopper construction. v

. Figure 4 is a detail elevational view of the door frame unitillustrating the preferred construction.

7 Figure 5 is a plan unit, and

Figure 6 is a side elevation thereof.

.. Figure 7 is a'sectional view on the line- Figure 8 is a detailsectional view on the line 88, Fig. 4. p The general form the drawingsfor-the purpose of explaining the invention is well known; but it is tobe understood that the particular configuration shown in the drawingsis-not essential, as modifications in the form of the hopper mayobviously be made without departing from the scope of the;claimsdefining the. invention. I

The hopper comprises an inclined bottom or chute plate 1 and sides 2which customaview of the door frame I of hopperillustrated in j rilyare, formed of metal. The sides of the hopper converge downwardly andeach is provided along its lower edge with an inwardly extending flange3 which lies beneath and is riveted to the inclined bottom "plate 1. Theconverging sides 20f the hopper are, in the present instance, both inclined to the vertical, their lower segments being somewhat more steeplyinclined.

Rigidly secured to thebottomplate 1 and side sheets 2 at the dischargeend of the hopper, as by means of rivets, is a door frame 4 which may beformed as a steel casting. The

of the hopper thereto. Each of the flanges has relatively inclinedportions which intersect adjacent the upper part of the frame to form anindentation for accommodating projecting portions of neighboring partsof the car body. The frame is formed with a cargo discharge opening 6which preferably is rectangular in shape, thereby providing on oppositesides of the opening generally triangular downwardly tapering plate-likeportions 7 intervening between said discharge opening and the respectivehopper side sheet 2. By this means increased strength and stifinessagainst distortion, especially toward the upper end of the door opening,are imparted to the hopper. In'order to reinforce the lower part of thedoor frame the latter is provided with a flange 8 which passes under thedoor opening adjacent the inner or free edge of the portion of the framesecured to the slope or chute sheet 1 and extends upwardly a shortdistance at opposite sides of the frame adjacent the inner or free edgesof the flanges 5, as indicated at 9. Thus it will be perceived that thereinforcing flange is disposed in a plane inwardly of the triangularportions 7 of the frame and consequently the lading discharge opening 6.This disposition of the flange 8 and its portions 9 serves not only tovery efliciently reinforce the bottom portion and lower corners of theframe but, due to the fact that the frame forms an oblique angle withthe vertical when associated with the hopper, the reinforcing memberswill not project or extend beyond the clearance limits or linesprescribed by the railroads notwithstanding that the frame may be ofmaximum size.

Formed on the frame 4 and bordering the car door discharge opening areoutwardly projecting flanges for cooperating with flanges upon the doorto form a seal against the escape of fine lading. These flangespreferably completely define the discharge opening, the uppermost flange1O projecting out- Wardly a somewhat less distance than the lower flangel1 and the two side flanges 12, 12 beingtapered so as to increase inheight toward thelower edge of the opening. The hinged door 13 forclosing the hopper discharge opening is of rectangular form and mayadvantageously be of pressed sheet metal 'type so as to provide inwardlyextending marginal flanges 14, 15 and 16 which not only stiffen the doorbut also cooperate With the flanges 10, 11 and 12 of the door frame toprevent the escape of fine lading. Suitable means are providedforhinging the door, such means preferably consisting of hinge members17 overlying the outer face of the door and riveted thereto adjacent the,upper corners of the latter. The upper ends of these hinge membersextend between spaced hinge lugs 18 with which the door frame isintegrally provided above the cargo opening. The hinge pins 19 passthrough corresponding openings in the hinge members 17 and 18, thussecuring the door to the frame .member 4. The upper end of the frameabove the hinge lugs may advantageously be fashioned with an outwardlyprojecting flange 2O adaptedto permit said frame to be secured, at itsupper end to a neighboring portion of the caf'body; th'is flange alsoserves as a guard or protection to the hinge lu s. i I

The side flanges 5 of the door frame unit preferably overlie the sidesheets 2 of the hopper instead of extending between the latter, as sucha construction permits the frame to be formed with an integral bracket21 conveniently providing for the mounting of the door locking means. Inthe present instance two such brackets 21 are illustrated, one on eachside of the hopper. They are of a form suitable for permitting the useof a pivoted door supporting hook 22 which cooperates in a'well knownmanner with a bracket or arm 23 secured to the door. As the flange portions 9 of the reinforcing member 8 are disposed adjacent the inner orfree edges of the flanges 5 and since, as may be seen from the drawings,they merge into and terminate adjacent the brackets 21 the latter areeffectively reinforced against strains and torsional mo- Inents whichmay be imparted to them from the door supporting mechanism.

Although the frame and hopper construction described are symmetrical soas to eliminate lefts and rights it will be readily understood that theinvention is not limited in this respect. In other words, in the designof many cars to which the frame may be applied it will be foundadvantageous to only mount one door supporting hook on the frame andthat it will be necessary to only form one edge of the frame with anindentation to accommodate neighboring projecting portions of thecar.Under these conditions the frame and hopper construction may be modifiedor changed to accord with existing car designs without losing theadvantages and benefits inherent in the construction described andwithout departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by theclaims. I claim: a

1. A hopper car door frame having a lading discharge opening andprovided with outwardly projecting flanges adjacent the sides and loweredge of said opening, the flanges at the sides of the opening being ofincreased height adjacent the lower edge of the opening, in combinationwith a hinged door having inwardly projecting flanges for cooperatingwith the outwardly projecting flanges of the frame to form a sealtherewith for preventing the escape of lading from the car hopper.

2. A hopper car doorframe having a lading discharge opening and providedwith outwardly projecting flanges bordering said opening, in combinationwith a hinged door for closing said opening, said door having portionsof corresponding parts of the respective flanges being less at thehinged edge of the door than at the opposite free-edge thereof.

3. A hopper car door frame having a ree tangular discharge opening, saidframe being provided with flanges bordering said opening and beingfurther provided on opposite sides of said opening with rigidlyconnected portions of substantially triangular form to which the sidesheets of the car hopper are adapted to be attached, in combination witha hinged rectangular door for closing said opening, said door havingflanges adapted to overlap the flanges of the door frame to form a sealtherewith for preventing the escape of lading from the hopper, theoverlapping portions of corresponding parts of the respective flangesbeing less at the hinged edge of the door than at the free edge thereof.4. A unitary hopper car door frame of substantially trapezoidal formhaving a rectangular lading discharge opening therein, in combinationwith a hinged rectangular door for closing said opening. said door beingfashioned with inwardly projecting flanges adapted to overlap portionsof the door frame above and below said opening for preventing the escapeof lading from the car hopper, the overlapped portion of the door framebelow the opening being greater than the overlapped portion above theopening.

5. A hopper car door frame of substantially trapezoidal form having arectangular lading discharge opening and provided with outwardlyextending flanges adjacent said opening, in combination with a hingedrectangular door for closing said opening, said door being provided withinwardly extending flanges for cooperating with the flanges of the frameto form a seal therewith for preventing the escapeof lading from the carhopper, the flanges of the frame being of greatest depth at pointsremote from the hinged edge of the door.

6. A unitary hopper car door frame havinga lading discharge opening andbeing provided on opposite sides of said opening with flangesfortheattachment of the side sheets of a car hopper, one of said flangeshaving relatively inclined portions forming an in dentation toaccommodate a neighboring portion of the car body.

. 7. A unitary hopper car door frame having a lading discharge openingand provided with inwardly pro ecting flanges for the attachment to theside sheets of a car hopper,

I one of said flanges being indented interme- -diate its ends toaccommodate neighboring portions of the car body.

8. A unitary hopper car door frame having a lading discharge opening,one side edge -of said frame being'indented to accommodate a neighboringportion of the car body.

9. A unitary hopperv car door frame having a lading discharge opening,the opposite side edges of said frame being indented to accommodateneighboring portions of the car body.

10. Hopper car construction involving a hopper having an inclined bottomand downwardly converging sides and being formed at its lower end with alading discharge opening, one of said sideshaving relatively inclinedintersecting portions forming an indentation for accommodating aneighboring portion of the car body.

11. A hopper car construction involving a hopper having aninclinedbottom and inclined downwardly converging sides and being formedat its lower end with a lading discharge opening, each of saiddownwardly converging sides having relatively inclined intersectingportions forming an indentation for accommodating projecting portions ofneighboring parts of the car body.

12. A hopper car door frame constructed as a unit and having asubstantially rectan-- gular discharge opening and,inwardlyextendingdownwardly converging flangesfor attaching the side sheets of a hopperto the frame, one of said flanges being integrally formed with a bracketportion adapted to form a mounting for a pivoted door sup porting hook,the lower portion of said frame being integrally formed with a laterallyprojecting reinforcing flange extending beneath the door opening andmerging adjacent one end into said bracket portion.

13. A hopper car door frame" constructed as a unit and having asubstantially rectangular discharge opening and inwardly extendingdownwardly converging flanges for attaching the side sheets of-a hopperto the frame, one of said flanges being integrally formed with a bracketportion adapted to form' a mounting for a pivoted door sup porting hook,the free edge of the lower portion of said last-named flange beingintegrally formed with a laterally projecting reinforcing flange one endof which terminates adjacent said bracket portion.

14. A hopper car door frame constructed as a unit and having asubstantially rectangular discharge opening and inwardly projectingflanges for attaching the side sheets of a hopper to the frame, saidframe being fashioned with a plate-like portion of substantiallytriangular shape intermediate one of said flanges and the adjacent edgeof the discharge opening, said last-named flange being integrallyprovided with a bracket portion adapted to form a mounting for a pivoteddoor supporting hook and the lower portion of said flange being alsoprovided adjacent its free edge with a laterally projecting reinforcingflange one'end of which terminates adjacent said bracket portion. 15. Ahopper car' door frame constructe as a unit and having a substantiallyrectangular discharge opening, said frame being integrally provided onopposite sides with brackets adapted to form mountings for pivoted doorsup orting hooks, the lower portion of said f fame being fashioned witha reinforcing flange extending beneath the door opening and merging intosaid brackets. 16. A hopper car door frame having a substantiallyrectangular discharge openlng and two downwardly converging inwardlyextending flanges? for attaching the side sheets of a hopper to theframe, said frame being provided with a plate-like port-ion ofsubstantiallytriangular s'hape intermediate one of said flanges and theadjacent edge of the discharge opening, the lower portion of said framebeing integrally formed with a downwardly extending reinforcing flangespaced inwardly from said plate-like. portion.

17. A hopper car door frame having a substantially rectangular dischargeopening and two downwardly converging inwardly extending flanges forattaching the side sheets of a hopperto the frame, said frame beingprovided with a plate-like portion of extending flanges respectivelyattached to the slope sheet and side sheets of the hopper, the slopesheet attaching flange being integrally formedadjacent its inner edgewith a down-' I ing flanges respectively attached to the slope sheet andside sheets of the hopper, said frame being provided with a plate-likeportion of substantially triangular shape inter- V mediate one of saidside sheet attaching flanges and the adjacent edge of the dischargeopening, said slope sheet attaching flange and the lower portions ofsaid sidesheet attaching flanges being integrally formed with alaterally projecting reinforcing flange disposed in aiplane spacedinwardly from said triangularly shaped plate-like portion.

ing a lading discharge opening and provided with inwardly projectingflanges for attaching the side sheets of a hopper to the frame, theinner edge of portions of said attaching flanges terminating in alaterally projecting stiffening flange. j

23. A unitary hopper car door frame having a lading discharge openingand provided with outwardly projecting flanges adjacent said opening andwith oppositely projecting substantially triangular shape intermediateflanges for attaching the side sheets of a hopone of said flanges andthe adjacent edge of the discharge opening, the free edge of the lowerportion of said last-named flange being integrally formed with alaterally projecting reinforcing flange.

18. A hopper car door frame having a substantially rectangular dischargeopening and two downwardly converging inwardly extending flanges forattaching the side sheets of a hopper to the frame, the free edge of thelower portion of each of said flanges being integrally formed with alaterally proectin reinforcing flange.

19. a hopper having a slope sheet and downwardly converging side sheets,a door frame having a substantially rectangular discharge opening andprovided with inwardly extending flanges respectively attached to theslope sheet and to the side sheets of the hopper, said slope sheetattaching flange and the lower portion of each of said side sheetattaching flanges being integrally formed adjacent their inner edgeswith a continuously extending laterally projecting reinforcing flange.

20. Hopper car construction comprising ,a hopper having a slope sheetand downwardly converging side sheets, a unitary door frame having asubstantially rectangular discharge opening and provided with inwardlyopper car construction comprising per to the frame, portions of saidattaching flanges terminating in a stiffening flange dis posed in aplane substantially normal thereto.

24:. A hopper car door frame having a discharge opening, in combinationwith a hinged door for closing said opening,'said door having flangesfor overlapping portions of the door frame. bordering said Qopening toprevent the escape of lading from a car hopper,

the overlapped portion of the door frame below the opening being greaterthan the overlapped portion thereof above the openlading dischargeopening and provided with outwardly projecting flanges bordering said22. A unitary hopper car door frame hav- 25. A hopper car door framehaving a. l

opening, in combination with ahinged door for closing the latter, saiddoor being provided with flanges for overlapping the said flanges of thedoor frame to prevent theescape of lading from a car hopper, theoverlapping portions of corresponding parts of the respective flangesbeing less at the hinged edge of the door than at the opposite free edgethereof. Z

26. A hopper car door frame having a lading discharge opening andprovided with I outwardly projecting flanges bordering the opening, incombination with a hinged door having inwardly projecting flanges foroverlapping the flan es of the frame to prevent the escape of lasing,the flange of the door frame adjacent the free edge of the doorprojecting outwardl to a greater extent than the flange of the cor frameadjacent the opposite hinged edge of the door.

WILLIAM E. WINE.

